The House Always Wins
by Breathesgirl
Summary: Written for Seph's Fall Writing Challenge, 2014. This is my first all human story. This is the story of how Eric Northman and Sookie Stackhouse met.


Seph's Writing Challenge

#2

Third Banner

The House Always Wins

My brothers and I were in the seediest part of Las Vegas. We didn't have a lot of money with us but we were looking to multiply it at the Frontier Casino.

Two of us were on the floor looking for the best place to make our killing when a broad with a body to die for swayed her way past.

I didn't get a look at her face but she had curves in all the right places and her sway gave those curvaceous hips a hell of a lot of appeal.

From the rear view I was getting an eyeful, I could only imagine what the front view would give me.

She was wearing a black Stetson hat which appeared to be pulled low in the front, a lacy white bra, white gauntlets on her forearms, tiny white panties and black stiletto boots with spurs which jingled as she walked; I could just barely hear the jingle over the ringing and clanging of the machines and calls of the barkers.

She slowly made her way around the room, stopping occasionally to talk to this person or that, causing each of them to smile so brightly it looked like their faces would split in two.

My erection was instantaneous; full on and painful because of the skin tight denim Godric had insisted I wear.

I was pulled from my mental worshipping of her beautiful and bounteous backside by a punch on my shoulder. I jerked back into reality and glared at my brother, "Quite a sight, isn't she?" He said as he leered after my evening's conquest.

"She is," I growled.

Bert looked at me in surprise, I rarely glared or growled at my brothers but when I did they knew I meant business. "Like that is it then Eric?" I could hear the smile in his voice. He knew I was an unstoppable force when it came to getting something I wanted.

I nodded mutely. He slapped me on the back, "Go get 'er then cowboy," he said and sauntered off into the crowd.

I just stood there, like an idiot, and watched as she started working her way back towards me.

The front view was even more spectacular than the back had been and the rear view should have been bronzed and put on display!

The front had my erection pulsing instantly. She was stacked, and I do mean stacked.

Her thighs were toned and muscular. Her hips were meant for gripping. Her stomach wasn't quite flat but nearly so and her breasts! My breath caught in my throat as I looked at her chest. Gorgeous is too paltry a word to describe their beauty and everything was tanned! Not a single stripe of white was anywhere to be seen.

When my eyes finally moved from her chest to her face all I could see was her hat. At least that was all I could see until she looked up at me.

When I finally saw her face I was in love instantly.

She had a cupid's bow over her luscious lips which were full and slightly pouty. Her eyes were bright and full of life and her cheeks were full and well defined.

When she smiled it showed in her eyes.

I was in love.

She stunned me when she put her hand up to my face and gently pushed on my chin to close my gaping mouth, "See somethin' ya like Cowboy?" Her voice was more melodious than anything I could ever remember hearing.

I tried to speak but had to clear my throat several times before I managed to croak out, "Yes Ma'am, I do." I tried to smile but I'm not sure how successful I was.

Her laugh sounded like wind chimes as she giggled at my nervousness. "What would that be Cowboy?"

Once again I cleared my throat and still barely managed to say, "You Ma'am."

She blushed only slightly as she stood on tip toe and kissed my chin. "Aren't you sweet?"

I finally managed to give her a crooked smile, "Not particularly Ma'am."

"Well Cowboy, are you here to enjoy what this fine establishment has to offer or are you going to be an island unto yourself all night?"

I must have looked confused because she clarified, "Are you here to gamble and enjoy the shows or are you going to be a traffic island all night?"

"Traffic island?"

She huffed and put her hands on her hips but her eyes were still smiling, "You're standing in the middle of a crowded casino, traffic is flowing around you."

"Oh," it took a moment for my brain to catch up with her words, "Ohhhhhhhh." I turned beet red under my own cowboy hat which actually made her laugh.

She grabbed my hand and started towing me to the side of the room where there were seating areas set up, "Let's get you out of the way and get you something to drink."

Once we were out of the flow of all the human traffic she pushed me down onto a brown leather couch and straddled my lap, causing my already painful erection to jump, bringing more pain.

When I grunted she looked at me with concern, "Are you alright Cowboy?"

I was barely able to whisper, "Fine, it's just ummm, well," I looked down at my lap, ashamed of my reaction to such a beautiful woman.

She looked down and saw what I was trying to voice and grinned, "That's a common enough reaction around here Cowboy, no need to be ashamed by it.

Now, what would you like to drink? Whisky? Brandy?"

"No, no thank you Ma'am. I don't drink alcohol."

"Really? That's quite unusual in the patrons here. What would you like then?"

"Water? Please?"

Her tinkling laughter brought a smile to my face, "Water it will be then.

What's your name Cowboy?"

I gulped, "E…e…Eric."

She leaned in close so she could speak directly into my ear, "Pleased ta meet ya Eric. Around here I'm known as Stacked House but you can call me Sookie. I'll be right back with your water."

Sookie carefully got off my lap and turned to go. Watching her wiggle as she walked was pure torture but it was sweet torture. I would endure endless nights just to watch her walk.

Once she was out of sight I slouched down and threw my head back on the back of the couch. What the fuck was wrong with me?!

Sure, I was still a virgin at 25 and I talked a good game but I was never, ever tongue tied when it came to the women! NEVER!

I felt the couch dip down on either side of me and I groaned. Just what I needed! My brothers to make my night even worse.

I opened one wary eye and saw Godric sitting on my right which meant it was Bert on my left but that one eye saw Sookie swaying her way back to me with my water in one hand and a drink for herself in the other.

Suddenly I was seeing stars and doubled over in excruciating pain and before I could comprehend what had happened both my brothers were being escorted away from me by a couple of guys each and the vision of loveliness was kneeling in front of me.

"W…w…What the h…h…hell just happened?" I groaned.

"The two hulks who were sitting beside you decided it was an excellent time to give you a nut tap from each of them. They have been escorted from the property and now have a yearlong ban from the Frontier."

I laughed weakly, "I'll have to thank the bouncers then. Those were two of my brothers. They like to give me nut taps whenever they notice I have an erection and think I have no intention of solving the problem.

This IS the first time they've done it at the same time though."

"I am SO sorry. That should never have happened."

I tried to straighten up but it wasn't quite possible yet, maybe a few more minutes.

"It's not your fault Ms. Stacked House. They're both bastards in both the figurative and literal senses."

Sookie quirked an eyebrow, "Oh really?"

"Really."

She giggled but put a finger to my lips when she saw I was ready to continue the conversation, "I don't think you really want to air your dirty laundry in a full casino. How about we find you a quieter place to recover and I'll get the doctor to give you a once over just to make sure no permanent damage was done?"

I nodded my agreement so she got a couple of the bouncers to help me to a private lounge where I just curled up on the couch and moaned as I rolled back and forth slightly, not that it helped the pain any.

When Sookie walked in she had put on some clothes, a pair of skin tight jeans and a curve hugging sweater, and had a bottle of water and an ice pack with her. She smiled at me worriedly, "The doctor will be here soon. In the mean while she said to put an ice pack on it and to try and relax."

I rolled my eyes, "I don't think relaxation is in the cards but that ice pack sounds like a brilliant idea." I held my hand out and she gave me the ice pack which I gently placed on my aching cock. It took a couple of minutes for the coldness to penetrate the denim but when it did it was bliss.

Sookie sat cross-legged on the floor in front of me, "How many brothers do you have Cowboy?"

I grimaced. "Could you please call me Eric? I grew up in Texas and with so many brothers my mom could never keep us straight. To this day she still doesn't call me by my right name."

"Of course Eric. I'm sorry. Old habits die hard I suppose.

So, how many brothers do you have?"

"The oldest, Stan, was born when Sophie-Anne was 15, she's 60 now.

Then there's Bert who was the asshole on my left, Godric who was on my right, Rasul, Maxwell, Ferell, me, William, Russell, Mitchell, Andre and another Bert since Sophie-Anne said she ran out of boys names by then. Then there's my little sister, Pam, so we're a baker's dozen."

Sookie's eyes grew wider with each name I added to the list. There had been a couple of miscarriages in there as well but I didn't figure she needed to know that.

"What about you Sookie? Is it just you or are there more?"

Her bronzed skin tinted a very light pink, "No one ever asks about me Eric. It's all about the client in my line of work."

I raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "And what is your line of work Sookie?"

"Customer satisfaction. I wander the casino and make sure everyone has what they need and that they're having a good time."

I frowned, "So I'm just a job then?" If I weren't in such pain I would have stormed out of the room but that wasn't quite possible just yet.

"At first, yeah. You were just another customer but then I saw those oceanic blues and the world stopped. Then, when you were so embarrassed by your hard-on you won my heart."

I grinned at her, "You had me the moment you walked by. The view of you from behind should be bronzed and put on display so I can keep the real thing for myself." She blushed bright red at the compliment.

"Then when I heard your melodious voice and saw your smiling eyes you won my heart as well," her blush deepened to an even darker red.

Fortunately the door opened about then and a troll looking creature walked in like she owned the place, maybe she did.

"Were you the recipient of a double nut tap?" Her gruff voice demanded.

I nodded, not all too sure just who or what she, it?, was.

"I'm Dr. Ludwig, the house doctor.

Take 'em off blondie so I can see the damage."

It wasn't easy or painless but I managed to roll over and undo my pants and push them down to my knees so she could see the goods.

I had received many nut taps over the years, pretty much since the first time I had a wet dream, but never had I been so bruised or swollen.

Dr. Ludwig looked and not so gently prodded but finally told me to keep icing it for twenty minutes every couple of hours and to take Ibuprofen for the pain and swelling; the bruising would last for a few days but the swelling should go down in the next day or so.

I thanked her and she left just as quickly as she had arrived. Before I could even curl back up on my side Sookie's lips were on mine.

The door slammed open causing me to jerk and cry out in pain but Sookie, my beautiful Sookie, jumped straight up and was facing the intruder before her feet even touched the floor.

"What the fuck Stan! Ever heard of knocking?!"

"Aren't you supposed to be taking care of the clients Stacked House?"

"I thought I was Stan." She shot a sorrow filled gaze at me over her shoulder; I squinted at Stan.

"Stanislaus?"

He finally looked over at me, "Eric?"

I grinned through the pain, "Yeah. What's it been? Ten years?"

"That's about right. Since Bert Two was born I guess."

I laughed, "Yeah, that's when it was. We've got a little sister now, Pam. She's hell on wheels that one. Too much like Sophie-Anne. It's all about her even though she's only five."

Sookie's head is ping ponging back and forth between us, "What? Y'all are brothers?"

I grinned and nodded my head as Stan replied, "We are although he's 20 years younger than me."

Sookie's mouth opens and closes like a fish out of water, "What…? But….?"

Finally she sits down on the couch and places my head in her lap and starts to comb her fingers through my hair; my eyes roll back in my head and I moan as she starts to gently scratch my scalp.

Stan continues, "Since Eric seems to be incapacitated why don't I take the two of you to supper and we can talk?"

I nod my head, which only increases the scratching of my scalp, "I'd like that Stan. It'll be nice to catch up."

"Eric, what size are you? I'll send in some looser pants so you'll be more comfortable. Which two was it anyway?"

"I'm a 36x38.

It was Godric and Bert One, who else?"

Stan chuckled lightly, "Who else indeed." He turned to leave, "I'll send in those pants and another ice pack with a bottle of Ibuprofen. It looks like you'll need both.

I'll see you in an hour.

Sookie, you're off the clock," he said as he left, closing the door behind him.

I opened my eyes and looked up at my angel; she nodded absently at Stan's words, not really hearing them but acknowledging the fact that he had spoken.

"Sookie?" She just sat there, my head in her lap, scratching my scalp absently.

"Sookie," I said again, placing my hand over hers, stilling the motion.

She looked down at me and a smile slowly lifted her lips and lit up her eyes as she realized I was still in the same position as when she zoned out.

"Are you okay Sookie?"

"Huh?

Oh, yeah, I'm fine. It was just a big shock to learn that my boss and the man I think I love are brothers."

She thinks she loves me?

"Will you help me up please so I can get these jeans off my legs?"

Sookie giggled lightly, "Sure." She lifted my head and gracefully moved off the couch, extending a hand to me.

I slowly rolled over and even more slowly sat up, grimacing at the pain which wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.

Once I was upright I grasped Sookie's hands and we slowly worked my way to standing. I still couldn't stand totally straight but it was certainly a lot better than it had been.

My jeans fell to my ankles just as there was a knock at the door.

Sookie answered the door while I stepped out of my loafers and jeans and slowly got down on one knee. When she turned around her mouth opened but no sound came out and a range of emotions crossed over her face, "Sookie, will you marry me? Tonight?"

"Eric," she squeaked, "Are you serious?"

I grinned at her, "Never more so. Will you marry me?"

I hold my hands out to her. She puts her burden down and gets on her knees in front of me and starts to giggle.

I look at her in confusion. "Sorry Eric. I'm not giggling about the fact you proposed, I'm giggling because you proposed wearing only your shirt and socks. This has got to be one of the strangest on the books."

When she explained I laughed along with her; I suppose it is rather strange being proposed to by a man who's only half dressed and who won't be able to consummate the marriage for a few more days.

That was 45 years ago tonight. She agreed to be my bride and they have been the happiest 45 years I could have ever imagined.


End file.
